JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Need light bulbs, ceiling tiles or even tools for office fix-up projects?
Facility managers can utilize the Joint Base Langley-Eustis, self-help store and receive discounted prices, as well as avoid losing valuable time driving to off-base hardware stores.
While the store’s order of precedence, is to first provide for 633rd Civil Engineer Squadron personnel, authorized facility managers, and relevant contractors; any Department Of Defense card-holder, with access to Langley Air Force Base, may also buy materials at costs competitive to civilian merchants, there.
The 3,000 square-foot facility, also known as “You-Fix-It” or Contractor Operated Civil Engineer Supply Store, carries approximately 2,500 line items on hand for purchase. Only facility managers may sign-out to borrow equipment. The Self-Help stories located inside the 633rd Civil Engineering Squadron building, across from the Langley Shellbank Fitness Center.
“Facility managers may save three-to-five percent on a majority of sale items when price-checked with [base] civil engineering and other [off-base] vendors,” said Patrick Smith, 633rd Civil Engineer Squadron chief logistics support.
“We provide materials, basically, at no cost to the facilities themselves,” explained Bobby Coleman, COCESS branch manager. “There is a collective work order that covers every authorized building across the base, where the facility manager or the designated alternate can come in and get things such as ceiling tiles, light bulbs, outlet covers. Most of the materials for the upkeep of the property, the facility itself and the building.”
According to Mr. Coleman, with the provided materials, facility managers can reduce the civil engineer’s work load. When it comes to a routine work order, civil engineers can then concentrate on maintaining the base and technical repairs.
“If it wasn’t for us here,” said Coleman, “then it would be maintained by the Air Force side or they would have to send somebody down every time a facility manager needed a small item. And, then it would become more cumbersome, and it would involve a lot more personnel and resources.”
Evevon Ellingsen, 733d Civil Engineering Division assistant facility manager, said Fort Eustis has not operated a self-help store since approximately 2006, before its housing was privatized.
Regarding the process for repair needs at Fort Eustis, “We inform facility managers on points of contact for materials,” explained Daniel Wood, 733d CED operation flight chief. “We issue service orders, for labor and materials.”
Thus, when the work-place faces a minor repair issue, self-help offers materials and tools to provide solutions. For more information, the self-help store may be contacted at (757) 865-1702.